第93章

Simplegirl!Ishallneverforgiveher。Hadsheacceptedhimassheought，theymightnowhavebeenonthepointofmarriage，andHenrywouldhavebeentoohappyandtoobusytowantanyotherobject。HewouldhavetakennopainstobeontermswithMrs。Rushworthagain。

Itwouldhaveallendedinaregularstandingflirtation，inyearlymeetingsatSothertonandEveringham。’Couldyouhavebelieveditpossible？Butthecharmisbroken。

Myeyesareopened。“

“Cruel!“saidFanny，“quitecruel。Atsuchamomenttogivewaytogaiety，tospeakwithlightness，andtoyou!

Absolutecruelty。“

“Cruelty，doyoucallit？Wedifferthere。No，hersisnotacruelnature。Idonotconsiderherasmeaningtowoundmyfeelings。Theevilliesyetdeeper：

inhertotalignorance，unsuspiciousnessoftherebeingsuchfeelings；inaperversionofmindwhichmadeitnaturaltohertotreatthesubjectasshedid。Shewasspeakingonlyasshehadbeenusedtohearothersspeak，assheimaginedeverybodyelsewouldspeak。Hersarenotfaultsoftemper。Shewouldnotvoluntarilygiveunnecessarypaintoanyone，andthoughImaydeceivemyself，Icannotbutthinkthatforme，formyfeelings，shewould——

Hersarefaultsofprinciple，Fanny；ofblunteddelicacyandacorrupted，vitiatedmind。Perhapsitisbestforme，sinceitleavesmesolittletoregret。Notso，however。

GladlywouldIsubmittoalltheincreasedpainoflosingher，ratherthanhavetothinkofherasIdo。

Itoldherso。“

“Didyou？“

“Yes；whenIleftherItoldherso。“

“Howlongwereyoutogether？“

“Five-and-twentyminutes。Well，shewentontosaythatwhatremainednowtobedonewastobringaboutamarriagebetweenthem。Shespokeofit，Fanny，withasteadiervoicethanIcan。“Hewasobligedtopausemorethanonceashecontinued。“’WemustpersuadeHenrytomarryher，’

saidshe；’andwhatwithhonour，andthecertaintyofhavingshuthimselfoutforeverfromFanny，Idonotdespairofit。Fannyhemustgiveup。Idonotthinkthateven_he_couldnowhopetosucceedwithoneofherstamp，andthereforeIhopewemayfindnoinsuperabledifficulty。

Myinfluence，whichisnotsmallshallallgothatway；

andwhenoncemarried，andproperlysupportedbyherownfamily，peopleofrespectabilityastheyare，shemayrecoverherfootinginsocietytoacertaindegree。

Insomecircles，weknow，shewouldneverbeadmitted，butwithgooddinners，andlargeparties，therewillalwaysbethosewhowillbegladofheracquaintance；

andthereis，undoubtedly，moreliberalityandcandouronthosepointsthanformerly。WhatIadviseis，thatyourfatherbequiet。Donotlethiminjurehisowncausebyinterference。Persuadehimtoletthingstaketheircourse。Ifbyanyofficiousexertionsofhis，sheisinducedtoleaveHenry’sprotection，therewillbemuchlesschanceofhismarryingherthanifsheremainwithhim。Iknowhowheislikelytobeinfluenced。

LetSirThomastrusttohishonourandcompassion，anditmayallendwell；butifhegethisdaughteraway，itwillbedestroyingthechiefhold。’“

Afterrepeatingthis，EdmundwassomuchaffectedthatFanny，watchinghimwithsilent，butmosttenderconcern，wasalmostsorrythatthesubjecthadbeenentered

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